Up and down , Get up !

Yesterday, was a very long day we left home at 6am to travel to Sydney for my last review appointment. We arrived home at midnight. I felt for my husband.

Up and down the emotional rollercoaster the highways and by-ways is physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting - the round trip is 700km /10hrs... I wasn't driving. It's a relief my next treatments will be 15mins from home. 

The Oncology review clinic was running 2hrs late - we exited our 10:45 appointment at 1:30pm. We saw Dr #1 at about 12:45pm for 10 mins, then waited 15 mins in between to see the Oncologist for 10mins.

It was all good with nothing new to be learned. They don't even examine me. I'm not not complaining , just saying I'm glad we had another reason for the trip down to Sydney.

When you arrive you wait in big 'muster' waiting area before being 'drafted' in smaller waiting rooms down the corridor or waiting for your beeper to go off saying they are ready for you in Chemo or in Radiation.

I'm  a little bit thankful appointments were late, because I got to briefly catch up with my 'old playgroup' friend, A. She was diagnosed with Breast cancer a month prior to my diagnosis. A was there in big waiting area, waiting to be beeped for her chemo as the chemotherapy treatment clinic was also running very late.

We chatted about our eyebrows (or lack thereof ) , dark painted nails , diets & cancer food and positive ways of coping , as you do... In the 'quiet 'crowded waiting room I'm sure everyone was aware of us.


Not everyone looks sick , though you can easily spot the cancer patient from carer usually by the head gear or the ones gently guiding frailer looking older people . Some people talk in hushed voices, guarding their 'personal' and emotional space. They just stare ahead at the TV, their phone or iPad or old magazines. Styrofoam cups of tea, coffee and 'plastic' biscuits are available if you like.

Sitting there you feel such a strong range of emotions ; anticipation, anger (One lady was very 'agro' because the clinics were running so late) , hope, sadness, even boredom ... mirrored in the sea of faces that surround you. Though now the chairs are banked, fixed in rows and close together instead of around the walls you don't make so much eye contact.

This morning I was feeling down, as well as tired and cold (yes it's blowing a gale with wild weather here as everywhere). I'm grateful my SIL who minded our little boys, at the other farm due to our late return, was putting them on the school bus.

I couldn't summon the emotional energy to get up. I'm don't exactly feel depressed, in fact  I feel physically better this week. Some days are better than others. I think it is returning to the Dr's office and talking about cancer that reminds me of my diagnosis and the interruption that cancer has caused to our life.

We also visited our old home for 15 mins , it's empty (tenants vacated), while still filled with memories ...not to mention clean carpet, my big kitchen , my roses , a lush green lawn and our old life.I still love the farm, our 'homely shed' and living here. Just sometimes it feels lonely and isolated here. I miss my friends.

Eventually, I stumbled out of bed at 11:30 am , only after my darling hubby made me tea and toast in bed, then lit the fire and went off to borrow firewood from the neighbours ; ).


 

I happened upon this song - I like it ! GET UP !

I'm a bit fired up now by the song and the fire.Though going back to bed is still inviting ...did I mention it's cold , grey and blustery and my hammock is like a parachute in the wind. 


Do you ever feel like you just want to stop and catch your breath ?
Would you like to hit pause, lay low and stay in bed all day ?

♥

Trials, Tribulations , Termites and Tales from Harry Potter and Half blood Prince.

Saturday dawned bright and beautiful and I had high hopes for a little home decorating, room re-arranging and making space for the change of season clothes.

Instead it turned into a living nightmare. You could say we learnt some major life lessons. Keep Calm - yes I nailed that !

 Why ...because we found termites had infested invaded the shipping container where most of our furniture and stuff is stored. It was a HUGE mess.


It all started because I wanted to rearrange things ...luckily I did is all I can say because it was just in the nick of time.

We spent all Saturday and Sunday removing boxes and furniture from the container , then cleaning the mud out and assessing damage - mainly to one heavy TV entertainment/storage unit plus dozens of books/things damaged /dirty or destroyed.

The white ants were most partial to cardboard boxes and books , even fabric - they really got their teeth into Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince. They gouged out  a huge, neat 'grater' tunnel ( mind you it is almost 10 cm thick) , then they set up camp inside the spine. I couldn't save it unfortunately.

The coffee table was ok :)

Two days later , a wheelbarrow full of mud , dozens of boxes we had to empty and clean mud/dried goop or poop off stuff. It was physically and mentally exhausting as well. Burning the boxes gave me a little satisfaction. We bombed the container with cockroach bombs first as well.

DH called it the big guns and heavy machinery ...AKA the Bulldozer [his Dad's] to move the container by dragging and hopefully breaking their contact with the nest. Then he used the bulldozer to lift each corner and put it on concrete blocks with ant caps [shutting the gate after the cows had bolted maybe]

Saturday night DH casually told me his sister had mentioned they had white ants in their shipping container (in Queensland). I didn't say it but I thought it ... ! He was shattered enough already . It is what it is blaming saying anything was pointless.


SO did not finish anything I planned - I couldn't even get my head around starting. I also planned to finish writing my new giveaways.

Friday we had already spent cleaning a caravan full of our office/business stuff covered in diesel smoke/soot - it damaged the caravan but hubby can repair that mostly.Soot still covers a lot of stuff. It cannot be wiped off fully - creme cleanser did a fair job. Hubby had transported it up here, on his truck, Thursday, and the exhaust went in under roof panels.

Needless to say we were both SO OVER IT . Then yesterday we found more live termites inside our cabin/shed where we live. (They already wrecked havoc in our bedroom last year )

After I took boys the school we set out to do what I'd wanted done on Saturday. A place for the boys to do their homework from under my feet ...A homework station to leave pencils,textas and homework books out,and not have to pack it away every night from the kitchen table (to eat dinner).  

Thankfully, the termites were contained next to only one wall and with mud casing around and/in one cupboard box containing a Lego table, Lego baseplate ( the boys were happy we found these) and Thomas Tank engine large poster book.We only need wash mud off them. 

DH moved all other boxes off the floor , up onto the table tennis table. We are going to do very regular checks ... daily and we are getting exterminators out to spray.


The Drummer Boys now have a lovely space and table to draw , complete homework and craft . Nearly all the books are out (even Mr 18 Chapter and series books). DH could have cared less about the books but not me *sob* burning them was horrible.

We are still chipping away at the mess from three incidents and the mantra Keep Calm - Carry ON has been muttered constantly.
Life is good enough again

It is what it is *. 

Things are still very tightly packed in here but not against the walls. I cannot believe the cr@p we have accumulated over 22 years of marriage ... and wonder how we used to fit it in our house.

The silver lining is I found a few treasures I was missing like my Tupperware scales , Bamix and  clothes.


* Termites cause $780 million in damages to homes across Australia each year.

♥

Keep Calm ...

and curse when you lose the post you were working on.Not really.

Today I very surprised to learn the origins of this simple yet inspiring propaganda 'poster' that is now a world wide phenomenon. Thanks to Barter Books the image was re discovered in 2001.

Keep Calm poster ` one of the first truly iconic images of the 21st century.

There have been so many clever and witty pardodies , some very inspiring ones too. The spinoffs and merchandise a retailers bonanza.

Since Crown Copyright expires on artistic works created by the UK government after 50 years, the image is now in the public domain ~Wikipedia.

Though some have tried to copyright it .

 

I know I feel very connected to this simple and timeless phrase or rather the parodies. On many occasions it speaks volumes in 5-6 words. I don't know why though.

I know I am going to download the app - and the Keep Calm poster generator

Linking up with